[BOY-ABANDONED]

A Pennsylvania couple has been charged with abandoning their severely disabled 10 year old son at a Delaware hospital.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[9:07:54]
But money wasn't the issue.
The father is the C-E-O of a large chemical company.
Richard and Dawn Kelso allegedly dropped off their son with a note saying they couldn't take care of him anymore.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[9:08:27]
[IN Q=They both entered the....]
[SUPER=01-Claudine Malone/New Castle Co. Police;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=in his wheel chair.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A relative says the wealthy couple had been left without nursing help over Christmas, sleeping in shifts
to handle their wheelchair-bound son's constant needs.
The Kelso's are free on bail and their son is in state custody.
(------------)

[India-latest]

The hijackers of an Indian Airlines Jetliners have reduced their demands, but Indian officials say it won't make much difference.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Kandahar, Afghanistan;]
[YESTERDAY'S 10A.M. NEWSPATH 10:19:29]
An official in Afghanistan, where the plane has been sitting since the weekend, says the hijackers have dropped their demands for 200 million dollars -- and for the return of the body of a militant.
They still want freedom for some three dozen other militants.
[SUPER=03-Delhi, India;]
[8:07]
India's External Affairs Minister told journalists today that food, water and medical supplies had been delivered to the plane.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[8:08]
[IN Q=]
((INDIAN EXTERNAL AFFAIRS; MAXIMUM POSSIBLE ATTENTION HAS BEEN PAID TO HYGIENE AND SANITATION INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT. FOOD AND WATER IS CONSTANTLY BEING MADE AVAILABLE AND IS SUPPLIED ON DEMAND. ))
[SUPER=01-Jaswant Singh/Indian External Affairs Minister;]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=SUPPLIED ON DEMAND.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The hijackers seized the plane six days ago.
They've killed at least one hostage and are still holding more than 150 captives.
(------------)

[NY-CELEBRATION]

[ANCHOR=MEL]
[NEWSCAST=NOON]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Authorities in Fresno, California, are worried about potential terror attacks on New Year's Eve --
after discovering that dynamite, gunpowder and other explosives have been stolen from a police bunker.
But Fresno's mayor says millennial celebrations won't be canceled.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]
[3:15:59]
The Mayor of New York City is also scoffing at the idea of cancelling the Time's Square celebration, even after
[Super=03-Seattle, WA;]

Seattle's mayor announced he was calling off the city's New Year's party because of fear of terrorism and Y-2-K troubles.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
(( MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI/NEW YORK CITY - WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT AS SAFE AS ANYTHING ELSE IN LIFE IS SAFE, WHICH MEANS ITS NOT PERFECTLY SAFE, THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS ATTACHED TO IT.))
[SUPER=01-Rudloph Giuliani/New York City Mayor;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=are problems. attached to it.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Close to 2-million people are expected in Times Square when the famous ball drops.
The United Nation's has started its celebration with the illumination of the its famous facade.
The building is lit up with the words U-N 2-THOUSAND.
(------------)

[E-State-Y2K]

Virginia officials say they don't expect much of a bite from the Y-2-K bug.
The state Y-2-K coordinator says ``no'' disruptions in state services are expected.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

But that doesn't mean they're NOT planning for the worst.
It's the first time the state's planned to use ham radio operators to coordinate a statewide emergency response if telephones fail.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT TAPE ONE 10:34:04]
[IN Q=All 138]
((MICHAEL CLINE/VIRGINIA EMERGENCY SERVICES: ALL 138 OR SO OF THE COUNTIES AND CITIES WILL HAVE A RADIO OPERATOR AVAILABLE TO THEM, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AT LEAST RADIO COMMUNICATIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM BETWEEN THE STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Michael Cline/Virginia Emergency Services; ]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=local government.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

This is a look at this weekend's Y2K command center.
But officials are warning citizens not to overact.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT TAPE ONE 10:39:39 ]
[IN Q=We want]
((BETTE DILLEHAY/VIRGINIA Y2K OFFICE: WE WANT TO DISCOURAGE THAT BECAUSE WE THINK THAT IN ITSELF IS A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY. AND WE COULD IN FACT CREATE SITUATIONS IF WE HAVE AN OVERREACTION TO THE SITUATION.))
[SUPER=01-Bette Dillehay/Virginia Y2K Office;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=the situation.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Melanie]
[SS=None]

State Police say more law enforcement officers will be on duty this weekend than any other time in Virginia history.

[Hotline]

If you have questions about Y-2-K, there's a toll free Citizen Information Line available to Virginia residents.
(XXXXXX)
[TAKE PHONE NUMBER FULL SCREEN]
That number is 1-888-2000-258.
[TAKE WDBJ WEB ADDRESS FULL]
You can find it and a link to the state's Century Date Change Initiative Project office in the Web Watch section of our homepage at WDBJ7-dot-COM.
(-------------)

[Henry-Fatal]

A head-on crash in Henry County yesterday afternoon killed a man.
Robert Toney Wimbish the third of Patrick Springs was driving west on route 57-A around four-30.
The 22-year-old veered into the east-bound lane and hit a truck head on.
The driver of the truck... 42 year old Anna Watts.... was taken to the hospital.
State police believe Wimbish fell asleep at the wheel. He was on his way home from work.

[lone-Raner]

The actor who played one of T-V's earliest heros has died at the age of 85.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[3;07:52]
Clayton Moore played the Lone Ranger from 1949 to 1957.
He died yesterday at his California home of a heart attack.
[SUPER=03-Hollywood, CA/June 5, 1987;]

The ``masked man'' received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1987.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
((CLAYTON MOORE, "THE LONE RANGER", "THIS STAR THAT I'M GOING TO RECEIVE TODAY BELONGS TO YOU FANS ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE BACKED ME ALL MY LIFE. THANK YOU. CHEERS."))
[SUPER=01-Clayton Moore/"The Lone Ranger";]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=all my life, thank you.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Still tyring to figure out how to welcome the year two-thousand?
We'll have some ideas when News-7 at Noon returns.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]

In Europe, severe winter weather may welcome Y-2-K.
More on that in a moment, but first let's talk to Patrick Evans about our weather.
(---------------)
[Talent=Patrick]
[Wx-Tease]
[Weatherpro]
[music up full]
[comm1]

[europe-wx]

[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

At least 120-people are dead in the wake of unusually violent weather that swept through western and central Europe.
As Tom Fenton reports.. it appears France bore the brunt of the storms.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[na038 10 a.m. newspath]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Bordeaux, France; :00]
[SUPER=03-Paris, France; :15]
[SUPER=03-Huisden, Belgium; :25]
[SUPER=03-Galteur, Austria; :29]
[SUPER=01-Tom Fenton/Reporting; :33]
[RUNS=:41]
[OUT Q=CBS NEWS LONDON.]
((The second freak storm to hit France this week battered large parts of the tic and Mediterranean coast. Bordeaux was hit with the full fury of hundred-mile-an-hour winds. Rivers overflowed and up to five million
people in France were left without electric power.
Paris is still recovering from the first storm, which hit the day after Christmas, ted 60,000 trees in the capital, and damaged historic buildings.
Extensive flooding in Belgium has deprived a number of communities of ing water.
A massive snow storm in Austria triggered avalanches that killed at least twelve people,.
And even North Africa has been hit. Blizzards killed seven people and hundreds of animals in Algeria.
Tom Fenton, CBS News, London ))

[E-Burcham]

Roanoke's new City Manager has been sworn in.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Darlene Burcham was sworn in by circuit court judge Diane Strickland yesterday afternoon, as family members and city officials looked on.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 21:36]
[IN Q=I think Roanoke has had]
((DARLENE BURCHAM/ROANOKE CITY MANAGER: I THINK ROANOKE HAS HAD A WONDERFUL HISTORY. I THINK IT HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE, AND I HOPE THAT I WILL BE ABLE WITH THE HELP OF THE COUNCIL AND THE HELP OF THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THAT FUTURE EVEN BETTER AND BRIGHTER.))
[SUPER=01-Darlene Burcham/Roanoke City Manager;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=better and brighter.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

Burcham will officially take office at 12:01 A-M on New Year's Day, and she plans to be on the job with other city employees monitoring potential Y2K problems.

[E-Gordon]

The year 2000 will also bring a change of leadership for the Roanoke County school system.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

Deanna Gordon is retiring after almost 40 years with the school system... and the last five and half as superintendent.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 01:54:11]
[IN Q=Things do change very rapidly]
((DEANNA GORDON/ROANOKE CO. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: THINGS DO CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY AND CERTAINLY NONE OF US CAN ANTICIPATE WHAT CHALLENGES THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND PUBLIC EDUCATION AS WHOLE WILL FACE, BUT I KNOW IT'S IN GOOD HANDS. IT'S GOT A WONDERFUL STAFF AND DR. WEBER IS GOING TO BE A GREAT NEW LEADER.))
[SUPER=01-Deanna Gordon/Roanoke Co. Superintendent]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=great new leader.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Gordon began her career as a seventh grade teacher.
Retirement will allow her to return to the classroom on occasion, and she says she's looking forward to working with local organizations such as the United Way.

[New-Years]

If you're still looking for somewhere to spend New Year's Eve closer to home-- there are plenty of options.
Kate Weidaw has some suggestions on where you can ring in the year 2000.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The Hotel Roanoke]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Laura Duckworth/Organzier; :17]
[SUPER=01-Kathy George/Wyndham General Manager; :54]
[SUPER=01-Rob Callahan/First Street Owner; 1:17]
[SUPER=@Kate1; 1:30]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=News 7 Roanoke.]
((The Hotel Roanoke may be offering one of the more expensive New Year's Eve parties but organizers promise it will be the best one in town.
For 275 dollars per couple you get a night full of entertainment by four bands.
[SOT 4:24;13]
[INQ=]
((LAURA DUCKWORTH/ORGANIZER: WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOOD EVERYWHERE THE ENTIRE HOTEL IS OURS WE ARE GIVING A COMMEMORATIVE GIFT CHAMPAGNE TOAST, FAVORS, SIX DRINKS TICKETS PER PERSON, WE JUST FEEL LIKE THIS IS GOING TO BE IT.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 17]
And with 13-hundred people already expected and only 100 tickets left it promises to be a gala of great proportions.
Across town at the Wyndham Marriot the party may not be as large but they promise it will be just as grand.
With six different party packages, including a swing band, organizers say it's affordable for anyone.
[SOT 3:56:54]
[INQ=]
((KATHY GEORGE/GENERAL MANAGER: THERE IS A VARIETY OF OPTIONS FROM $18.95 FOR DINNER ALL THE WAY UP TO $550 DOLLARS FOR THE GRAND PACKAGE THAT HAS DON PERIGNON IN THE GUEST ROOMS.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 10]

If it's an intimate dinner instead of a party you're looking for - try First Street in the Market. The restaurant will only seat 30 people at a cost of 75 dollars per person.
[SOT 4:44;47]
[INQ=]
((ROB CALLAHAN/FIRST STREET OWNER: WE'RE GOING TO DO A SIX COURSE DINNER WITH WINES PAIRED WITH EACH COURSE WITH A TRIO BLUES, JAZZ PLAYING MUSIC OF COURSE ALL THE PARTY FAVORS.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 10]
And to top off the night a 6 liter bottle of champaign will be shared by all.
[STANDUP]
[INQ=]
((KATE WEIDAW/REPORTING: AND IF YOU'RE WNATING TO INCLUDE YOUR CHILDREN IN THE NEW YEARS EVE FESTIVITIES LOOK NO FURTHER THEN FIRST NIGHT IN DOWNTOWN ROANOKE IT'S INEXPENSIVE AND PROMISES TO BE FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. KATE WEIDAW NEWS 7 ROANOKE.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS=11]))

[tanker-sinks]

[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

It's not quite the Titanic, but for those on board just as terrifying.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Istanbul, Turkey;]
[6:00:42]
A Russian flagged tanker split in two and partially sank overnight near Istanbul after running aground in heavy winds.
You can see the front half sinking into the sea, while the stern remained afloat.
The 17 man crew was safely rescued and no fuel was spilled.
(------------)

[pope-chair]

Pope John Paul has a new way of getting around.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Vatican City;]
[10:10:23]
He's using a raised, wheeled platform to help him navigate smoothly through the crowds of well-wishers.
The cart has railings to help steady the 79-year-old pope who has had trouble walking since a hip operation in 19-94.
Holy Year celebrations have been bringing millions of extra pilgrims to the Vatican.
(------------)

[E-Black-Cemetery]

It's the final resting place for some of Lynchburg's most prominent black residents, but for years the White Rock Cemetery has fallen into disrepair.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Now a local group hopes to change all that.
Laura Munson has spent the past year clearing brush and restoring broken headstones in the seven- acre cemetery.
She says her work is part landscaping and part archaeology.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 18:05:40]
[IN Q=Just the most]
((LAURA MUNSON/CEMETERY RESTORATION DIRECTOR: JUST THE MOST SPIRITUAL FEELING BEING OUT HERE AND KNOWING THAT THESE PEOPLE HAD WONDERFUL LIVES AND CONTRIBUTED A LOT TO THE CITY AND WE JUST WANT THEM TO BE KNOWN.))
[SUPER=01-Laura Munson/Cemetery Restoration Director]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=to be known.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Efforts are underway to identify and collect information on those buried at White Rock.
Those profiles would be linked with Lynchburg's black history museum which is scheduled to open next year.
(------------)

[Stocks]

On Wall Street at Noon, the Dow was UP 43 points.
[tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Still to come in sports, the V-M-I Keydets have a tough time with the nationally ranked Florida Gators on the court,
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
and Virginia Tech's men lose a close one to West Virginia in the Cassell.
Patrick has the highlights, next.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]

[S-Tech]

West Virginia traveled to Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech last night.
The Hokies were coming off a third place finish in the San Juan Shootout, the Mountaineers were on a two game winning streak.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech;]

Ricky Stokes brought the Hokies back home to the Cassell looking to improve their record in front of the home crowd.
Tech looked crisp early in the game, as Dennis Mims gets the assist to Andre Ray who knocks down the three pointer for an early Hokie lead.
But the W-V-U offense would keep the game close, as they take the Tech miss full court with Tim Lyles going up for the lay in cutting the lead to 14-12.
Former Patrick Henry star Brooks Barry, got on the board for the Mountaineers completing the fast break and tying the game at 20.
[super=33-West Virginia/61/Virginia Tech/58;]

Tech would finish the half strong as Russ Wheeler gets out of trouble to Brian Chase who finds Rolan Roberts underneath for the jam, but West Virginia goes on to beat Tech 61-to-58.
(------------)

[S-VMI]

The V-M-I Keydets visited the Sunshine State last night to take on the sixth ranked Florida Gators.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Gainesville, FL/NCAA;]

A group of Florida Freshman gave Bart Bellairs and his Keydets an evening full of headaches.
The Gators defense caused 33 turnovers... here Brett Nelson makes the steal and goes the distance for the hoop.
V-M-I then leaves Donnell Harvey all alone under the basket. The slam is just two of Harvey's game high 22.
[super=33-Florida/113/VMI/68;]

The Keydets can't hold on to the ball. And Florida has no problem converting the turnovers into points and the Gators have a day at the beach at V-M-I's expense 113-to-68.
(------------)

[S-Practice]

After arriving in New Orleans Monday, the Hokies got in their first day of Sugar Bowl practice yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New Orleans, LA;]

The Crescent City has been hospitable to Tech in the past. The Hokies came home 1995 Sugar Bowl champions.
But Tech is the underdog in this match up and Florida State is in a place Frank Beamer says the Hokies would like to reach.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=There's a couple]
[SUPER=01-Frank Beamer/Virginia Tech Head Coach;]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=look up to them]
(------------)
[vo nat]
The Florida State Seminoles joined Tech in New Orleans yesterday.
The undefeated teams meet for the national championship in the Sugar Bowl on January fourth.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=our boys]
[SUPER=01-Bobby Bowden/Florida State Head Coach;]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=we're all hungary]
(-------------------)

[S-Wahoos]

The University of Virginia is set to meet Illinois on Thursday in the Micron-P-C-Dot-Com Bowl
But still the media attention is focused on Virginia Tech, and that has some Cavaliers feeling slighted.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I think]
[SUPER=01-Dwayne Stukes/UVA Defensive Back; :00]
[super=01-Thomas Jones/UVA Running Back; :40]
[super=01-George Welsh/UVA Head Coach; :58]
[RUNS=1:04]
[OUT Q=might have Shown up]
(-----------------)

[S-Alamo]

13th ranked Penn State and 18th ranked Texas A & M battled it out in the Alamo Bowl last night in San Antonio, Texas.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-San Antonio, TX/ESPN;]

And it wasn't much of a contest for the Nittany Lions.
State quarterback Rashard Casey pulls the tiger on this 45 yard bomb, Edward Drummond makes the grab and the Nittany Lions have the 14 to nothing lead.
[super=36-Penn St./24/Texas A & M/0;]

A and M was never in the contest and Penn State wins the Alamo Bowl 24 to nothing.
(------------)